Category Archives: ETEC 647e

ETEC 647e – A reflection on the semester

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What a semester this has been! This blog has been a way to reflect on my journey as I muddle my way through emerging technologies as experienced in ETEC 647e. It was definitely a roller coaster with many ups and downs represented by successes and challenges. However in the end, I must admit, I’m exhilarated and I can’t wait to delve further into the many different tools and topics touched on in this class. Some of the things high on my list are:

Flipped videos – with many different tools available now, it’s easier than ever to convert teacher-centered instruction to flipped classrooms. I hope that this will allow me to free up more time in class to interact with students and allowing students to spend more time dialoguing with each other.

Mobile technology – Tablets and smartphones are definitely not going away. And I am continually amazed by the quality of the apps available on the iOS devices. The task is finding the right way to integrate them into the classroom. I would like students to use the iPads as tools to create products to demonstrate their learning and thought process. I think students will also find the iPads to be a wonderful tool to curate and consume resources as well.

MOOCs – Even though it was a very passive learning experience to take the Coursera Nutrition course, I’m hoping that I will be able to learn basics of computer science through MOOCs. I would like to learn more about HTML and CSS as well as other new and emerging computer languages in order to keep up with the trends in technology. Maybe through coding assignments, MOOCs will turn into an active learning experience for me.

As I look forward, there are still yet so many unknowns as to how all these emerging technologies will play out. However, I feel that I have a good grasp on how and when I can use these technologies to further challenge my students while engaging and motivating them to be 21st century learners.

Wearable Technologies and Internet Connected Devices

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I shared this YouTube video with my students as a current events topic in Anatomy and Physiology. This is a clip from NBC’s Rock Center on Jan 23, 2013.

Dr. Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute and Chief Academic Officer of San Diego-based Scripps Health, believes the digital revolution will change the future of medicine. It’s amazing the apps he showcased in the video: portable EKG, blood glucose monitor, etc.

My students were so impressed by the gadgets from the video. It really stimulated a lot of discussion in class about how these devices might work and how it could be beneficial for the patients. We also wondered if too much information maybe bad.

I also shared with my students my own experience with wearable technologies:

  • Fitbit – I wear my Fitbit Zip everyday to track my steps and calories burned. It syncs wirelessly via Bluetooth with my iPhone. And by linking my nutrition log on MyFitnessPal, I am able to see my calories in/out on a daily basis as well as over a period of time on the Fitbit website.

Calories in/out

  • Digifit – I use this app (available on iPhone and Android) along with the Polar Bluetooth heart rate monitor to track my heart rate during my workouts. The added bonus is it also syncs with my Fitbit data for a seamless fitness ecosystem.

Digifit home       Digifit HR data 

I am a gadget junkie and I use these devices to motivate me to be more active while encouraging a healthy lifestyle. I have been using the above devices for about 6 months and I love them!

The iPhone just celebrated its 6th birthday this year. And it’s amazing how much wireless technology along with internet connected devices (via iOS apps) have skyrocketed in recent years. I do agree with Dr. Topol that this digital revolution will change not only the field of medicine, but our daily lives.

Augmented Reality in Education

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StarWalk

My only real experience with augmented reality (AR) is with StarWalk on the iOS devices. I been using StarWalk off and on for about 2 years. It started out when I was teaching an astronomy unit for 7th grade science. In a word, the StarWalk app is awesome! It’s simple to use and brings astronomy to a level where anyone can appreciate and understand. Even my 5 year old loves using the app on nights we go out to star gaze. For my 7th graders, I used it in the classroom to show the different constellation and how the location of stars change depending on season, etc. Some ended up downloading it and using it on their own. That in itself shows how well this AR app works in the education setting.

Now, 2 years later, there has been more development in this new field. Just from my quick look at YouTube to create a playlist for this week’s assignment, I found that several companies have created AR apps to teach chemical bonding in Chemistry. Genius! When I was teaching Chemistry, it’s one of the harder topics to teach since it requires students to imagine the electrons moving around in the atom. Students often wonder, “how do electrons get shared?” or “why would sharing be better?”. With these AR apps, students can see how compounds are formed by putting 2 element cards together. Here’s a YouTube showing how one particular AR software works:

Here’s a YouTube video using AR tags on the iPhone:

Hopefully, these types of AR apps will be affordable enough so that all students / teachers will have access to the material.

My Coursera Experience

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The Nutrition for Health Prevention Course I took ended last week. Here are my thoughts…

The video lectures were of great quality. The site was easy to navigate and materials easy to access. I like that videos and PowerPoints are downloadable. The work load was manageable, even though I ended up spending more like 4 – 6 hours instead of the 2 -4 hours stated in the course description.

Assessments are two-fold: weekly quizzes and peer-assessed assignments. The weekly quizzes are factual recall and required me to look through my notes from video lectures to answer the questions. The assignments were more applicable: track nutrition and food eaten over a 24 hour period, create a daily meal plan for some one with diabetes, and make a dish that is significant in a culture – analyze its health benefits.

It was definitely a different way to learn. However, it did remind me a bit of the large courses I took in college. Instruction was information-heavy and teacher-lead. It was hard to ask questions to the professor directly – you either have to attend office hours or see a TA. In the Coursera case, although the forum offers a way to bridge a gap between instructor and students, I found it very difficult to navigate through the plethora of forum posts. I would search for a topic that I had a question on, then peruse the comments in the thread. I did not feel comfortable or had the time to post regularly to the discussion forum.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience. I had been exposed to the content before through my undergraduate and graduate work. It was nice to hear recent research done in the field. Also, it motivates me to continue to be mindful about my eating habits and to make healthy choices.

Tablets for Learning

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In your opinion, what are the three most significant ways in which a tablet device may be useful for learning? Support your answers.

Tablets, specifically, iPads have transformed the learning in my classroom. As I have mentioned in an earlier blog post, the Anatomy apps we use allow for a richness of images never before achieved in the class. The iPads and apps allow students to work on their own pace to discover the anatomical structures we’re focusing on for the day. Students can manipulate the images as they need. This ability allows for individualized learning that enables students to learn on their own at their own pace. Additionally, students are more engaged and motivated to learn with their shiny new devices. The iPads have been working out well in my class from my experience. However, I foresee that students can be more productive if we were on a 1:1 iPad program.

This summer, I’m going to be part of a team of teachers to help pilot an iPad classroom in the summer school Biology program at my school. Although I have taught summer biology for the past three summers, I’m choosing to take a step back from being the classroom teacher this year to help support the integration of iPads into the curriculum. The students will be assigned an iPad for the duration of the course. Additionally, we plan to have a laptop cart along with several desktops in the classroom.

We are just beginning to discuss the potential of individualized learning and other benefits of having an iPad classroom. In a nutshell, we already know that iPads can be used for content consumption. There are some amazing apps for Evolution and Cells that we will have students use. The next steps are ways to have students curate and create their own content using the iPads. Maybe they can create their own iMovie presenting as aspect of the Hawaiian ecosystem. Or they can create an iBook chronicling their 6-week journey through the summer biology course. We’re hoping that from our experience this summer, we will have additional ideas around the successes and challenges of the iPad classroom.

 

What to do with Big Data?

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On the topic of Big Data, I enjoyed reading Duhigg’s NY Times article, “How Companies Learn Your Secrets” (Feb 16, 2012). It was interesting to hear how Target uses shopping information to predict whether a woman is pregnant. I believe I must have been one of the statistics as I was pregnant with both my children around the time Andrew Pole developed his predictive model. I must admit, the ads worked for me. I have always preferred Target over other big box stores. I like that I can get everything I need in one place. Especially when I had my kids with me on shopping trips, it’s much easier to make one stop than 3 or 4 multiple stops. Personally, I didn’t mind getting those coupons and ads in the mail. I needed those items anyway, now I can get them for cheaper!

As a teacher, I have been gathering data on my students’ test scores to help me determine whether it was an appropriate assessment and whether students are meeting the objectives for the course. Before using Haiku LMS, I used to type students’ test scores into an Excel spreadsheet or an online grading system to analyze the means. If the mean was low for a particular test, I usually go back to the test and look at the questions to see if it could be better phrased, etc. If a particularly low score on a test is a red-flag that I should reach out to the student and offer additional assistance.

In the past 3 semesters, I have been using Haiku LMS for assessments. Students log into the course website using Safe Exam Browser to take the test/quiz. For most of my students, this is the first time they’ve ever taken their test or quiz online. One of the features   I love is the ability to see how well students do on each question. For example, on the recent Muscular system test, students did very well on the action terms since we did a huge Kinesiology project on analyzing movement and action. However, students seem to struggle a bit with the definitions for “origin”, “insertion”, and “isotonic”. This type of analytics allow me to note where students need further help with the material. I can identify trouble spots and revise my lessons for future classes.

Muscle Test

My students don’t have access to this particular information although they are able to view their test and see exactly what they got wrong. And they can do this in the comfort of their own home. No longer do I have students hounding me down at the end of class to find out what they got wrong on a particular question and why. Students can also view their grades as I update them so they always know where they stand in the class. I find that these features of Haiku LMS have removed the awkward grade disputes I used to have with students. I can focus more on planning more effective lessons to engage and motivate my students’ learning.

Haiku LMS also offers a way to track how often students are logging in to access information. However, I don’t access this data very often partly because I do see my students in a face-to-face setting every other day. Through my interactions with students in class, I can usually tell which students I need to spend more time with.

Big data is not going away. It’ll be interesting to see how other educators leverage the information gathered and how we use it to improve students’ learning.

Resources:

Duhigg, C. (2012, February 18). How Companies Learn Your Secrets. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html

The Promise of Mobile Learning

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According to TechCrunch article on Thurs, Feb 28, 2013, Apple has sold more than 8 million iPads to educational institutions. That’s a startling number. I know that many schools on Oahu either already have a 1:1 iPad program or are on the verge of implementing the program. Those not on a 1:1 iPad program, such as the school I teach at, have access to iPad carts.

In my own classroom, we use iPads about 25% of the time. There are great Anatomy apps that allow my students to visualize the body system we are covering. Just today, for introduction to the nervous system, I am having my students put together a Brain Cap, then using the 3D Brain App (free), students identify location and function of key structures in the brain such as the 4 lobes of the brain. I find that my students are more engaged and motivated with the content through using iPads than using the textbook and course management system alone.

Students working on Brain Caps and 3D Brain app Finished Brain Cap

Although we are using iPads in the classroom, we are not truly maximizing the capacity of mobile learning. In true mobile learning, content and learning should be accessible from any where at anytime. At this point, my students can’t check out the iPads to take home. If they need the iPads beyond our class meeting time, they have to make an appointment to meet with me. Some students with iPhone or iTouch end up downloading the apps we use if they are free or relatively inexpensive. In order for my classroom to realize mobile learning, we would have to move to a 1:1 iPad classroom.

Among the promise of mobile learning are more productivity and more engaged students. However, I find that there are still limits to iPads – especially when it comes to collaboration. I love the ease of collaborating in real-time on Google Docs. There isn’t an easy way to replicate this process on the iPads (yet). Thus, the best case scenario would be to have a 1:1 iPad program with access to a class set of laptops. However, in a year’s time, who knows where the technology will be and what new promises it will bring.

To Flip or Not to Flip

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This week’s topic is Flipped Classroom. I’ve been toying around with the idea of flipping some of my lectures for my high school Anatomy and Physiology course.

First, a little background. Currently, each new unit is introduced via content-heavy PowerPoints on day 1. Sometimes, day 2 is a continuation of the lecture. Days 3 and 4 are devoted to reinforcing concepts introduced through hands-on activities and/or games. Day 5 is review. Day 6 is test. So far, this layout has worked out well, but as I find that I am rushing through the lectures so I can have enough time for fun activities. I also realize that repetition is key to helping students learn this material. However, there’s currently not enough class time for me to go over the materials or to check for their understanding until review day.

I believe flipping my lectures will be helpful for my students. This way, students are to watch about 15 – 30 min of video for homework. In class, we can go over questions they have from the lectures, and spend more time on the activities to reinforce their learning.

Recently, a friend introduced me to Explain Everything App for the iPad. This seems like a fairly easy tool to narrate and annotate my lectures. I’m hoping to spend time this summer to flip my lectures in preparation for my Fall courses.

Back in the Fall, YouTube added the ability to post questions/polls into videos you’ve created. It’s in Beta testing, and it looks like the feature may have been removed recently. Thus, I’m super excited about the new Ed.Ted.com site. I can post my lectures on YouTube, then add questions using Ed.Ted.com – awesome!

Open Education, Intellectual Property, and Fair Use

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The topic of Open Education is definitely on the burner in recent months. I’m a believer that education is a right for everyone – and everyone should have access to education. Open education resources such as iTunes U, Khan Academy, and MIT OpenCourseWare definitely allow increased access to higher education. However, as increasingly more information are being posted on the Internet, the inevitable discussion of intellectual property and fair use must come into play.

As an educator, I hope that this increased access to education will result in innovation.  But how do we foster innovation while suppressing plagiarism? This is where Creative Commons come into play. As more information is free and open for users to remix and recreate, we will be able to foster more innovation while still crediting the original sources.

I realize that many textbook publishers are struggling to find a balance in this digital age where users don’t want to pay a dime for content. I believe that publishers should charge a license fee for the school for the use of eBooks, but should not restrict how students use the content. Students should be free to create their own mashups and post it online – this is a way for students to show that they’ve internalized their learning and made it their own. However, if a student starts to distribute the said content for monetary gain, that would be wrong. It’s also our job as teachers to ensure that students are aware of the ethics and etiquettes involved when posting their own work online.

Last semester, one of my students did an amazing job re-mixing a very famous pop song into an asthma public service announcement. My student re-wrote the lyrics so that the song would educate the public about asthma, how it manifests itself, and how it can be treated. She sang the newly written song herself to the tunes of this very famous song. It was one of the most touching and well-crafted project I’ve seen as a teacher. She also cited the sources for pictures and song credits. I have since passed on the video to my friend, a pediatric pulmonologist, to help educate her newly diagnosed asthma patients. This is an example of of a stellar student using her talents and gifts. I want to foster this energy in my classroom. Without open and free resources, this creative energy will be snuffed and where will our future be?

Khan Academy as OER

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For the OER assignment, our group decided to review Khan Academy’s series on Unit Conversions with focus on Converting Gallons to quarts pints and cups.

Sal Khan has an innate gift in explaining concepts for ease of understanding. It helps that each video covering each sub-topic is short (usually about 5 – 10 min). For each sub-topic, he presents a questions/word problem. Then Khan explains each step involved in solving the problems. Often times, he supports his verbal explanations with diagrams to help the visual learners.

Overall, this is one of the best OER offered at the moment. This Unit Conversion topic is actually one of the first he started to help his cousin through distance tutoring, and resulted in him started the Khan Academy.

It would be nice if there were additional embedded questions grouped by sub-topics for additional practice. In math, it’s important to provide the learner with a variety of questions to allow for mastery of skills.